In this section
The role of the Restorative Dentistry service is to provide a diagnostic and treatment planning service to referring practitioners. We are not able to provide primary care treatment; a small number of cases are accepted for undergraduate training but otherwise treatment not requiring specialist care is returned to the referring practitioner for completion. Note that the lack of ability to pay for treatment is not an indication for a referral and all patients with active primary disease will be returned to the referring practitioner for remedial treatment.
A consultation appointment does not necessarily mean that further treatment will be undertaken at the Dental Hospital. Our aim is to work in partnership with the primary care practitioner, which means that the patient will almost always be referred back for specific items of treatment or all of the recommended treatment with a detailed treatment plan. Only certain cases are selected for treatment by undergraduates, postgraduate trainees or staff, and in such cases there may be a significant delay before treatment can be commenced. For those patients accepted for treatment, it is expected that the referring practitioner will continue to see the patient for routine examinations and treatment, continuing to provide all other aspects of dental care. It is expected that stabilisation of the oral health will have been carried out as outlined in the Greater Manchester Local Dental Network (GM LDN) “Healthy Gums Do Matter” Practitioner’s Toolkit.
Patients considered high priority
The following patients will normally be accepted for treatment:
- Those who have or have had oral cancer (e.g. pre-treatment planning, post-resection rehabilitation)
- Those who have congenital dental abnormalities (e.g. hypodontia, cleft lip & palate and dentinogenesis /amelogenesis imperfecta)
- Those who have suffered severe orofacial trauma
- Patients requiring treatment of a multi-disciplinary nature
Advice only referrals
Referrals for advice only, with appropriate supporting clinical and radiographic information, will always be accepted. The request should be clearly highlighted as such in the correspondence. Advice may be made on the basis of information provided without the patient being offered an appointment; patients seen for a consultation include those needing assessments for strategic planning of restorative dental treatment.
Medically compromised patients
Patients with such significant medical conditions that some aspects of their dental care can only be provided in the hospital setting or who need specialist input are seen, potentially in conjunction with Special Care Dentistry.
Patients with a mental or physical handicap, patients who are infirm and patients who present with non-anxiety related management difficulties are not, in general, accepted for treatment within the Department unless the dental situation is seen as requiring specialist management. These patients should be referred to Community Dental Services in the first instance.
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